With deep sorrow I learned of the death of the Head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Maxim, and I sincerely regret the great loss for you, your country and the friendly Bulgarian people.

Mournful are the moments when believers depart from their spiritual leader. Moments of sorrow, but not without comfort or hope, resulting from the sincere love and faith in God. I am convinced that the life and the deeds of His Holiness Patriarch Maxim, as a person with great authority in the Orthodox world, will remain deeply engraved in the memories of the Bulgarian people, and of the Orthodox believers and people of good will.

Please, Mr. President, convey our deepest condolences to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and to the citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria. Support in such difficult moments gives us strength and reminds us that we are not alone, in good and in times like these.

Dr. Gjorge Ivanov